Fence.



EDWARD VODEN WOODSON, OF BLUEFIELD, WEST VIRGINIA.

FENCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

Application filed March 28, 1908. Serial No. 423,890.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD V. Woonson, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bluefield, in the county of Mercer and State of West Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fences, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to fences, and more particularly to fences designed to keep out rats and mice.

As is well known, grocers, millers,

1 continually and greatly troubled by the destruction of their bags or open barrels of feed, meal, flour, etc. by rats and mice, and every year heavy losses are caused by the depredation of the rodents.

It is the primary object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a fence which may be installed in warehouses and the like, to form an inclosure, and which will effectually protect all food stuffs within the inclosure from rats.

A further object is to provide a fence of this character which may be readily put in place so as to form an inclosure of any required size or shape. To this end I have devised the unit system of construction hereinafter described, and which will permit of the parts of my improved fence being assembled in any desired relation.

With the above objects in view, my invention consists in the construction and arrangement hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of my improved fence, as assembled. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section on an enlarged scale, through the door panel and associated parts, portions of the panels being broken away. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of the floor of a warehouse, showing various ways in which my improved fence may be set up.

Referring to the drawing in detail, I preferably construct my improved fence of a series of panels 1. These panels, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, comprise rectangular iron frames having woven wire stretched across the same, the mesh, of course, being of such size as to prevent any possibility of mice getting through. These panels are .of uniform width and height, and may be of any suitable dimensions, as, for example, four by seven feet. In constructing the fence, the panels are set on end with their abutting etc. are door is adapted to shut,

together by bolts or other suitable means. They are held in position on the floor by means of angle brackets 23, secured to the bottom of the side members of the frames.

A door 5, provided with hinges 6, adapted to be secured to the edge of any panel, aifords an entrance to the inclosure, and in order to edges 2, secured render the same rat-proof, a sill plaLe, 7,

against whichthe is provided. in order to facilitate rolling trucks and the like into and out of the inclosure, the sill plate is formed with sloping sides, as shown. The door may be of the same Width as the panels, but is preferably of less height. A short panel 4, is therefore provided, and extends from the top of the door to the upper edge of the other panels.

In order to prevent the rodents from climbing over the fence into the inclosure, it is necessary to provide a guard 9, around the top. This guard is preferably formed of sheet metal, and, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, is trough-shaped in cross-section and comprises a vertical portion, adapted to be secured to the upper edge of the fence as by bolts 12, a horizontally extending and downwardly projecting portion 11, and a curved, substantially semi cylindrical, overhanging portion 10. It is evident that it will be impossible for rats to climb over this device, since, even if they should succeed in getting past the horizontally extending portion 11, they would then find themselves on the concave side of a smooth, over-hanging surface, which would prove an unsurmountable obstacle.

In order that my improved fence and guard may be assembledin any desired relation, I form the guard as a separate artiole of manufacture, and make it up in lengths which are a simple multiple of the width of the panels.

In Fig. 1, 13 indicates a division point, the sections on either side of this point being equal in length to the width of two panels. If desired, however, I may form the sections in lengths of three panels, four panels, or even a single panel. Some of the sections are mitered, as at 14, for the corners.

By virtue of the uniform width of panels and the multiple relation of the sections of uard, I am enabled to make up my fence 8n the unit system principle, and ship it formed with a shoulder 25,

in any, required quantities, The purchaser may then assemble it as desired, eitheras a...

four sided inclosure, 16, (Fig. 3), a two sided corner partition, 15, or a Straight partition, 17. Any other configuration canbe adopted as circumstances may'dictate.

WVhile I. have shown and described my guard as used in connection with a panel fence, it is obvious that it may be employed with equal utility as an attachment to any other form of suitable fence, as, for example, a fence composed of woven wire stretched around a series of'fiXed posts. I desire to have it understood, therefore that I do not limit myself to the exact construction shown in the drawings.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a very practical and efficient rat fence which lends itself to a great variety of conditions,

and it is thought the numerous advantages of my invention will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art.

What I claim is 1. In combination, a series of independent woven wire fencepanels, of uniform width, adapted to be assembled in any desired relation, and a separately formed guard of sheet material adapted to be secured to the top of said panels, said guard being constructed in sections the length of which bearsan exact multiple relation tothe width ofsaid panels. 7

2. In combination, a series of fence panels of'uniform width assembled so as to form an inclosur'e, a door for said inclosure, of

, ,the same width but less height than said panels, a short panel extending from the top of said door to thelevel of said other panels, and a guard of sheet material secured along the upper edge of all of said panels.

3. As an article of manufacture, a trough shaped guard of sheet material adapted to be secured to the top of a fence, such guard comprising a forwardly and downwardly projecting portion, and 'a curved portion overhanging said forwardly projecting portion.

4. As an article of manufacture, a guard for fences comprising a substantially three sided trough, formed of sheet material, one of the sides of which is adapted to be rigidly secured directly to the upper edge of a fence.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses. I

EDWARD VODEN WOODSON. Witnesses:

IV. E. WADE, G. A. MATTHEWS. f 

